Beyond a Certain Size, Larger Vehicles Aren't Safer and May Endanger Others | Carscoops

      The IIHS states that operating a larger vehicle increases the risk to other drivers.

      A recent study indicates how vehicles of various sizes perform in collisions and the implications of these findings.

      Increasing the average weight of a pickup by 500 lbs only marginally decreases the rate of driver fatalities.

      Heavier vehicles present a higher risk to lighter cars, particularly during head-on collisions.

      Many drivers assume that a larger vehicle equates to increased safety in a head-on crash, believing that driving a tank means nothing can go wrong. However, a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) indicates that beyond a certain size, "bigger" may not necessarily mean "better." The analysis suggests that vehicles that are heavier than the average fleet offer minimal to no enhancements in safety—and may, in some instances, increase the danger for drivers in other vehicles.

      On average, new vehicles sold in the U.S. weigh about 4,000 lbs (1,814 kg). It is evident that the typical SUV and pickup are heavier than the average car, which weighed around 3,308 lbs (1,500 kg) during the 2017-22 timeframe. Recent data indicates that for vehicles lighter than the average, the likelihood of occupant fatalities decreases significantly with each additional 500 lbs (227 kg). However, exceeding the 4,000 lbs average does not provide much benefit.

      For instance, increasing the weight of lighter cars by 500 lbs resulted in a reduction of the driver death rate by 17 deaths per million registered vehicle years. In contrast, adding 500 lbs to a pickup's average weight only decreased the driver death rate by one death per million registered vehicle years.

      The IIHS has been examining the crash compatibility among various vehicle sizes for years. Compatibility between different vehicle segments has improved, with modern pickups and SUVs now designed with front ends that better align with smaller cars.

      Between 2011-2016, passengers in cars were 90% more likely to die in collisions involving SUVs weighing over 5,000 lbs compared to accidents with other cars. Since then, there has been improvement. Data from 2017-2022 reveals that this heightened risk of fatalities for car occupants dropped significantly to 20%. Likewise, during the 2011-2016 period, pickup trucks were 2.5 times more likely than cars to contribute to car occupant deaths, but this has decreased to less than double the likelihood in 2017-2022.

      “It’s encouraging to see that cars and SUVs are now closer in weight,” noted IIHS President David Harkey. “These statistics show that shifting towards lighter pickups could also yield significant advantages, especially given that many drivers do not utilize their trucks for heavy loads.”

      IIHS senior statistician Sam Monfort stated, “Heavier-than-average vehicles are more prone to collide with lighter vehicles, while the opposite holds true for lighter-than-average vehicles. This analysis indicates that opting for an extra-heavy vehicle does not enhance your safety; in fact, it increases the risk for others.”

      So, when contemplating a switch to a heavier SUV or pickup for safety reasons, consider whether you are genuinely improving your own safety or merely making the roads riskier for everyone else.